‘’Who is a Preceptor? What is he like? Once Master said that it could mean nothing but a ‘GURU’. At which stage of merging in Master, does this description of his really applicable? Then I found, he has written that when an abhyasi informs him of such a condition of spiritual evolution, that wherever he goes he carries a wave of purity and spreads a sacred power in every nook and corner, he must be given ‘permission’ for Master’s work; so that the power or the current which is entering the atmosphere, should not go unutilized. When does such an attitude come about? When, by remembering him constantly we attain such a stage of absorbency in him that we do not remember ourselves, even when reminded.

How does this happen? Because Master has brought him up to such a pass, where he has lost consciousness of every thing. How can one who has really never lived, understand death? How can one, who has not understood death recognize life? One who has got over the feeling of living or not living and even transcended this stage, must have come to recognize to an extent the Real element which is beyond all elements. Having now recognized Him, he does not recognize others. There are a lot of subtleties of the work, which I came to understand only after I had done Master’s work with full devotion for a long time. When Master bestowed the ‘power’ and ordered me to do his work, initially, I used to feel that Transmission would start as soon as I willed, but there was a feeling that the power was strewn all over, inside me and outside. I was not able to make it my own.

Whenever Master instils spiritual condition or power in us for his work, initially it carries great force which is felt all round us. But as we proceed along resolutely doing his work exactly as desired by him, our absorbency in him goes on becoming deeper and deeper. Then the power inside and outside, enters our being and a great subtlety permeates all over. The more empty and subtle our inner condition, the better and clearer will be reading of others. And the clearer the reading the higher the quality of work we shall be able to perform.

I have observed in a number of cases, when Master gives ‘permission’ to one of our abhyasi brothers, he starts work, but has confidence neither in his own work nor the requisite firm faith in the ‘power’ bestowed. Again and again he does ‘cleansing’ and he wills that transmission is flowing. But all the while firmness and faith are lacking in his inner self. Why is it so? Because he has not been able to become ‘His’. He has not made his gift ‘his own’; he has not yet succeeded in absorbing the power conferred by Master. In course of time by remaining absorbed in Master, the ‘power’ from all-round converges and penetrates into the ‘inner’ of the person. Until this happened whenever anybody would address me as a ‘ Preceptor’ I used to feel that Preceptor was as if his ‘power’ (Personified) separate from me. Indeed a day came when I felt that the power was now at very my beck and call. He has bestowed it on me long back, but it took me so much time to drink it fully and make it my own. Really speaking only after I experienced that the entire power was absorbed in me.

But the surprising thing that happened was that instead of feeling something special about it, I felt as if the heart has become a complete ‘void’. It was again reduced to a beggar and the ‘’ impatience’’ started afresh. Of course, the work now assumed a different complexion altogether. It could take any direction or shape desired that was necessary for the progress the abhyasi. Confidence not only developed to an extent necessary for His work, but embraced a dimension which could result only from making His ‘power’ mine own. Additionally the ‘power’ became the instrument of my own spiritual progress.

When we start experiencing our mastery over the ‘Power’ conferred by Him, we also feel as if along with His power he himself has entered in to our being. It is only then that our labour starts bearing fruit before our very eyes. I very well remember the occasion when Master told me that he had conferred on me complete mastery over the ‘’ Pinda and Brahmanda’’ regions. Then I felt as if boundless ‘Power’ was spreading within me and outside, all over, which was to be made mine own, But the fact is it took me full three years to acquire real mastery over these regions. Mastery means, that the ‘Power’ becomes one with your living and is no longer felt as a separate entity. It flows inside us in such a natural manner that it’s presence is never felt. But after this attainment, whenever we speak in the midst of abhyasis or sit for puja, the condition automatically spreads all over and the abhyasis or other people sitting in front start experiencing it although at times they are unable to describe the same.

‘’ In case of worldly matters also sometimes I felt that when we relate our pain or illness, we become so much one with the condition that sometimes the listeners and the atmosphere get affected. It is therefore essential that the ‘power’ should take its real shape; this happens when along with his ‘ power’ we become one with him too.

A very important part of Preceptor’s work, is to build up the organization and discipline in the center. First of all every one must keep himself completely balanced and well organized. With moderation of heart, sweetness of speech, tolerance of outlook and a feeling of affinity in behaviour towards all, we can very well organize even the biggest of centers. There is absolutely no doubt about this. But this can happen only when Master enters our entire living, our mind, intellect, in fact our whole being. It then becomes so disciplined that the reflection of outward personality of others cannot effect us.

On the contrary the complete uniformity of our inner and outer beings reflects on others and becomes helpful in moulding them. An outer plainness and simplicity develops in our living which elicits respect and regard for all our actions, from outsiders.

Our Sahaja Marga is an institution of practical spirituality, where love is valued more than regulations. Here the infinite expanse of hearts is considered priceless. So narrow mindedness must remain nowhere near. A sacred brotherhood resting on the goodwill of all can alone make it well organized and firm. When Master enters our living narrowness of mind and heart must vanish. Then our organization moves away from limitedness towards width. Our heart becomes so expansive that it starts communicating with every heart. But with all this alertness must be there. I observed in some centers the hearts of abhyasis eagerly awaiting a mere signal from the preceptor and feeling extremely happy to carry out whatever he said. If our beloved Master alone has entered the inner living of the Preceptor, a fragrance emanates in the entire atmosphere of the center, which is conducive to the uplift of the hearts of all abhyasis. Thus purity of heart, sweetness of speech, and maturity in practical dealings with all, are very helpful in making a center well organized. So, we should always remain alert, that real work for which Master has prepared us should remain stunted in growth because of the narrowness of our heart.

One more point is worth note. It happens at times that a preceptor allots some of his time for sitting toabhyasis of a center where a brother preceptor, duly ‘ permitted’ by Master is already there. We should do this only when our brother requests for help. And once having agreed to allot our time, we must work like a worrier to brighten the internal condition of the abhyasis of that center.

Really speaking, the main purpose of his preparing us for assistance in his work, is fulfilled only when with the help of his ‘power’ abiding in the purest of conditions, we clean and purify the hearts of the associates like our own to the best of our abilities. But this becomes possible only when we work with love and submissiveness, towards the abhyasis. The reflection of this outlook in turn, creates unknowingly a feeling of submission in theabhyasis also. It is similar to our learning submission gradually while absorbing in our Master; even without our knowledge we commit the mistake of considering ourselves somewhat superior to the abhyasis.

This automatically creates a sort of reservation towards them. It reflects on the abhyasis in such a way that they do not open up with us, and even sitting close to us, feel themselves at a distance. The moment we come near them, they feel something like a pressure; this becomes an obstacle in our work as also in their evolution. In fact our Master has undertaken to sacrifice any thing or every thing for the upliftment of the whole humanity, without any reservation and proved it beyond a shade of doubt, by lifting us up like straw, in the wind, as related by the pot in the following lines:- ‘’ There blew a storm of love, the straw flew up to the sky. The straw met its like, what was his, merged in him’’

So, we should not only cultivate immense love and respect for ‘His’ abhyasis, but also learn something. Only then shall we succeed fully in realizing the aim for which he has prepared us. To consider ourselves as superior persons is not such a grievous fault, as to forget the fact that we too are abhyasis only. We should constantly endeavour to mould our living towards fully becoming His and completely merging in him only. A notable deficiency in us is that we fail to adopt a wider outlook. This retards our full expansion. While giving transmission this creates inside us a sort of reservation.

People do go to him to receive Master’s holey gift of transmission but their hearts cannot accept HIM as their own. The unqualified regard and pure current of love resulting from a universal brotherhood, which should normally develop in their heart towards the preceptor fail to strike roots. Engaged in his work we should have a restless craving, side by side, to realize and merge in him, thus completing the thing of our sadhana also through constant meditation, Meditation itself will tell us one day that job is complete. It grows in his expanse and strewing reality before us, merges into it.

It becomes our sacred duty that when he has made us a preceptor, we must mould ourselves in such a way, that we could participate most successfully in his divine work. While making efforts to rise ourselves, we should become instrumental in lifting up our dear abhyasi brothers also. May Master will it be so. (Abridged version )